Protective cover

ABSTRACT

A protective cover is provided, including a cover base and a protective lid. The protective lid and the cover base form a housing space to accommodate the electronic device. The electronic device is held and fastened to the cover base. The cover base and the protective lid are engaged by at least a buckle element. The buckle element can be repeatedly used to plug or unplug so that the protective lid and the cover base and be engaged or disengaged for different purposes. The electronic device can be fastened by cover base and covered underneath the protective lid to avoid direct abrasion or impact. The protective lid can be disengaged from the cover base to facilitate convenient use. In addition, the back of the cover base can be coupled to a support plate to allow the standing of the protective cover in horizontal or vertical modes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a protective cover, and morespecifically to a protective cover to insulate portable electronicdevice for protection as well as stay easy to use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many electronic devices, such as, smart phones, have large display forvarious applications so as to provide more functions, such as, personalmultimedia player, GPS, e-book or e-dictionary, in addition toconventional telephony communication. While multi-function featureprovides convenience and has advantage, the price of the electronicdevice is also rising so that the users are usually more caution inprotecting the high-priced electronic device, and more willing to investin protective peripherals.

The currently available protective covers can be categorized into twotypes. The first type is the simple cover, such as, a simple-shapedsilicon-made cover. When in use, the electronic device is sheathedinside the silicon cover with the display exposed. This type ofprotective cover is inexpensive, but does not provide sufficientprotection to the display from damage caused by scratching. The secondtype is the two-piece protective cover, including a bottom base and anupper cover. The bottom base is for installing the smart phone and theupper cover is attached and inseparable from the bottom base. The uppercover can provide protection to the display; however, when the smartphone is in horizontal use mode, the upper cover will be obstructivebecause the upper cover extends beyond the side of the bottom base.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a a protectivecover that provides both protection and convenient usage. The protectivecover includes a protective lid and a cover base. The protective lid canbe engaged to or disengaged from the cover base. When protective lid isengaged to cover base, the formed protective cover can effectivelyshield and protect the electronic device from damage caused by abrasionor impact. When the protective lid is disengaged from the cover base,only the cover base is used to accommodate and protect the electronicdevice so that the electronic device can be conveniently used in eithervertical or horizontal modes.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a protective coverallowing the electronic device to stand in either vertical or horizontalmodes. As the large-displayed electronic device can be used as amultimedia player after downloading the multimedia, the protective coverof the present invention can assist the electronic device to stand invertical or horizontal modes to further facilitate convenient viewing.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a protectivecover to work with other auxiliary support device so thatprotective-covered electronic device can be fastened to the supportdevice for use in vehicle.

To achieve the above objects, the present invention provides aprotective cover, including a cover base and a protective lid. Theprotective lid and the cover base form a housing space to accommodatethe electronic device. The electronic device is held and fastened to thecover base. The cover base and the protective lid are engaged by atleast a buckle element. The buckle element includes a plug connected bya soft element to the side of the protective lid and a socket formed atthe corresponding location on the side of the cover base. The plug onthe protective lid can be repeatedly used to plug into the socket on thecover base so that the protective lid and the cover base and be engagedor disengaged for different purposes.

In addition, the back surface of the cover base can be coupled to asupport plate. The support plate can be flipped up to form an angle withthe back of cover base. The support plate allows the electronic devicehoused inside the protective cover to stand in vertical or horizontalmodes.

The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of thepresent invention will become better understood from a careful readingof a detailed description provided herein below with appropriatereference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention can be understood in more detail by reading thesubsequent detailed description in conjunction with the examples andreferences made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of the protection lid disengaged from thecover base according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of the buckle element according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of the present invention in actualapplication;

FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of the back of the cover base of thepresent invention;

FIG. 6 shows a schematic view of the present invention in use (I); and

FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of the present invention in use (II).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, protective cover 1 of the presentinvention includes a protective lid 2 and a cover base 3 forming ahousing space 10. Cover base 3 holds and fastens a portable electronicdevice housing space 10. Protective lid 2 and cover base 3 are engagedby at least a buckle element 4. Buckle element 4 includes a plug 41 anda socket 42. Plug 41 is connected to the end of a soft element 21extending from a side of protective lid 2, and socket 42 is locatedcorresponding to plug 41 on the side of cover base 3. Plug 41 of buckleelement 4 can repeatedly plug into and unplug from socket 42 so thatprotective lid 2 and cover base can engage or disengage.

The following describes the elements of the protective cover of thepresent invention in details. Protective lid has a shape of a plate,with main body made of hard plastic material. The inner and outersurfaces can be covered with genuine leather, artificial leather orother textile to protect the electronic device on contact. Soft element21 extends from the side of protective lid 2 is made of soft rubber orleather, and is bendable at will. When protective lid and cover baseengage, soft element 21 allows protective lid 2 to be flipped open. Theother side of protective lid 2 forms a hold element 22. Hold element 22has bended shape, is slightly resilient and rigid and is located at theopposite side of soft element 2.

Cover base 3 is a rectangular shallow plate, made of plastic with properhardness via inject molding, Base cover 3 forms at least two clapelements 31 and at least a stop wall 32. Clap elements 31 are slightlybended inwards and are distributed around the circumference of coverbase 3. Clap elements 31 can form the entire side or the high part onthe side to stay clear of the holes, sockets and buttons on the side ofthe portable electronic device. Stop wall 32 is located on at least onepart of cover base 3 and is slightly bended. Stop wall 32 has a bendedheight slightly lower than clap element 31 to prevent portableelectronic device from sliding out. Clap elements 31 and stop wall 32are preferably distributed on different sides of the circumference ofcover base 3. The inner wall surface of cover base 3 is layered as aninner pad layer 33, made of leather, artificial leather, soft rubberpad, foam or textiles to protect portable electronic device on contact.

As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, buckle element 4 includes a plug 41 and asocket 42. Plug 41 has a flat shape, and has a long groove 411 close toboth sides so as to form a resilient protruding block 412 on both sideof plug 41. Socket 42 forms on the side of cover base 3. The inner shapeof socket 42 is shaped by a plurality of protruding rods 421, 422located at different positions to match the external shape of plug 41 sothat plug 41 can be repeatedly plug into and unplug from socket 42. Whenplug 41 is plugged into socket 42, protruding rods 421 grips the side ofresilient protruding block 412 so that the engagement of plug 41 andsocket 42 is properly firm.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of the present invention in actualapplication. A portable electronic device 5 is a smart phone installedinside cover base 3, with clap elements 31 clapping on both sides ofportable electronic device 5 to fasten. At this point, protective lid 2is engaged to cover base 3 and soft element 21 allows protective lid 2to flip open to facilitate convenient use of the device. The user maydecide to disengage protective lid 2 from cover base 3 for convenientuse of the device in horizontal mode. When protective lid 2 covers thetop surface of electronic device 5, hold element 22 can hook and holdthe side of electronic device 5 so that the inner wall of protectivecover 2 can press tight on electronic device 5. In this manner,electronic device 5 is completely surrounded by cover base 3 andprotective lid 2 to prevent from direct abrasion or impact.

In addition, to enhance the convenience of use of the present invention,as shown in FIGS. 5-7, the back surface of cover base 3 forms a fixelement 34 coupled to a support plate 34. Support plate 35 has a shapeof a rectangular frame, and can be folded to attach to the surface offix element 34. When flipped upward, support plate 35 from an angle withthe back of cover base 3. The central region of fix element 34 forms aconnection groove 341, shaped to match the connection head of anapparatus support device used in a vehicle so that the present inventioncan also be used with an apparatus support device for vehicle.

FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 show schematic views of the present invention inactual applications. Electronic device 5 is fastened to cover base 3,and support plate 35 is flipped from the back of cover base 3 to form anangle. In this manner, cover base 3 can stand in portrait (vertical) orlandscape (horizontal) direction so that when the user removesprotective lid 2, the user can use the electronic device as a multimediaplayer on a flat surface.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to thepreferred embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is notlimited to the details described thereof. Various substitutions andmodifications have been suggested in the foregoing description, andothers will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art.

Therefore, all such substitutions and modifications are intended to beembraced within the scope of the invention as defined in the appendedclaims.

1. A protective cover, comprising a cover base and a protective lid,said cover base and said protective lid forming a housing space, saidcover base holding and fastening a portable electronic device insidesaid housing space, said cover base and said protective lid beingengaged by at least a buckle element, said buckle element comprising aplug connected to an end of a soft element from a side of saidprotective lid and a socket formed at location corresponding to saidplug on a side of said cover base, said plug of said buckle element ableto repeatedly plug into and unplug from said socket so that saidprotective lid and cover base able to engaged or disengaged fordifferent use purposes.
 2. The protective cover as claimed in claim 1,wherein said plug has a groove close to both sides to form a resilientprotruding block on both sides, inner shape of said socket matches saidplug so that said plug and repeatedly plug into and unplug from saidsocket.
 3. The protective cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein saidcover base comprises at least two clap elements, said clap elements arebended and distributed surrounding circumference of said cover base. 4.The protective cover as claimed in claim 3, wherein said cover basecomprises at least a stop wall, located at least one place ofcircumference of said cover base, said stop wall and said clap elementsare preferably not located on the same side of said cover base.
 5. Theprotective cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein said protective lidcomprises a hold element on a side, located opposite to said buckleelement of said protective lid.
 6. The protective cover as claimed inclaim 1, wherein back surface of said cover base is coupled to a supportplate, when flipped, said support plate forms an angle with said back ofsaid cover base so that said cover base can stand in either horizontalmode or horizontal mode.
 7. A protective cover, comprising a cover baseand a protective lid, said cover base and said protective lid forming ahousing space, said cover base holding and fastening a portableelectronic device inside said housing space, said cover base and saidprotective lid being engaged by at least a buckle element, said buckleelement able to repeatedly plug and unplug so that said protective lidand cover base able to engaged or disengaged for different use purposes,back surface of said cover base being coupled to a support plate, saidsupport plate forming an angle with said back surface of said cover basewhen flipped so that said cover base able to stand in either horizontalor vertical modes.
 8. The protective cover as claimed in claim 7,wherein said support plate is coupled to a fix element, said fix elementcomprises a connection groove, shaped to match a connection head of anapparatus support device used in vehicle.
 9. The protective cover asclaimed in claim 7, wherein said buckle element comprises a plugconnected to an end of a soft element from a side of said protective lidand a socket formed at location corresponding to said plug on a side ofsaid cover base, said plug can repeatedly plug into or unplug from saidsocket.
 10. The protective cover as claimed in claim 7, wherein saidcover base comprises at least two clap elements, said clap elements arebended and distributed surrounding circumference of said cover base. 11.The protective cover as claimed in claim 10, wherein said cover basecomprises at least a stop wall, located at least one place ofcircumference of said cover base, said stop wall and said clap elementsare preferably not located on the same side of said cover base.
 12. Theprotective cover as claimed in claim 7, wherein said protective lidcomprises a hold element on a side, located opposite to said buckleelement of said protective lid.